Diseases Poultry are Liable to. 
113 
with the soft food, and will tend in a great measure to prevent or modify to a great extent the recurrence of 
the disease. This is especially effective with chickens. 
Diphtheric Roup. — This is one of the very worst diseases Poultry are liable to, especially highly-bred 
stock, and if not promptly treated is quickly followed by death. The symptoms are a whitish growth in the 
mouth and throat, with sores or ulcers on the comb, eyelids, etc., and appear analagous to diphtheria in the 
human being. Where not accompanied by diarrhoea and true roup, the following solution will be found very 
effective : — To ioz. common alum, ^oz. common bluestone, ground to a fine powder, add 6oz. of water and 
20 drops of Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid ; shake well before using, swabbing the mouth and throat thoroughly 
with the mixture, using a soft camel hair brush for the purpose. This treatment is very severe, but just as 
effective, but requires to be done quickly. In extreme cases it may be necessary to repeat the operation 
every hour or so, but in the majority of cases one or two dressings will effect a cure. The bird must be kept 
warm and dry, and fed on soft, assimilating food while under treatment. For the outside ulcers carbolic or 
eucalyptus oil, applied night and morning, will in most cases be found effectual, and a pinch of Epsom salts 
added to the soft food each day will act as a tonic, without purging. 
Dropsy, or Ascites, is a watery condition of the abdomen, due to a collection of serum in the cavity. 
When seen in young chickens it is usually due to improper feeding or bad sanitary surroundings, producing 
an anaemic condition. In adults it may be traced to the same causes, but is more often due to some 
obstruction of the circulation of the blood, either by pressure of tumour or structural disease of the abdominal 
organ. Sunshine, good food, and clean houses and runs, combined with purgatives and tapping, will remedy 
this condition. Tapping is done by inserting a hollow needle through the muscles of the abdomen into the 
cavity, thus allowing the fluid to escape. Place one tablespoonful of sulphate of magnesia into one quart of 
the drinking water, using for a few days, changing this to 10 grains of iodide of potassium to each pint o{ 
drinking water. Birds that have suffered from this disease, even if perfectly cured, should never on any 
account be bred from. 
Dropsy of the Feet. — This is wrongly confounded with gout. It is simply a swelling of the feet and 
toes, due to a sluggish state of the circulation, over-feeding, too little exercise, or none at all. A laxative, 
with plain food and green vegetables given in abundance, will remove this condition, compelling the bird, 
when recovered, to take plenty of exercise by scratching for all grain food, which should be buried. 
Dropsy of the Heart Sack. — This is the only disease of the heart at all common in Poultry, and is 
seldom thought of while the bird is alive. The symptoms are moping, restlessness, with the head continually 
thrown backwards, inability to feed from the ground, and, when attempted, reeling and staggering about, 
tumultuous action of the heart, and occasional spasms. A merciful ending of the bird's life is wise in this 
case. 
Dropsy of the Wattles. — This condition may arise from blows or bruises, the wattle ofttimes being 
swollen to the size of an egg, and highly inflamed. The swelling should be opened at the bottom and the 
contents evacuated, afterwards syringing well with warm water, applying carbolated vaseline or a little sweet 
oil to the wound. 
Dysentery.— 'Wvx'i disease is present when the bird passes blood, and is rarely cured, but some success 
has attended the use of 5 drops of laudanum or 5 drops of chlorodyne, given every few hours, feeding on 
recovery for a few days with soft food and finely-chopped onions, giving the bird a couple of Jenkinson's 
Revivers in the morning, and tonic pills at night. 
Eczema. — This disease is not contagious, being found chiefly in highly-bred birds fed on a too stimu- 
lating diet. The comb and wattles are the principal parts attacked. First, white spots appear, and, growing 
quickly, run together, then burst, discharging a liquid which dries, forming a crust. In severe cases the 
discharge falling on the feet and toes irritates them, the bird loses appetite, and is sluggish in movement. 
To treat this, give two grains of calomel every alternate night, and a pill twice a day for a fortnight, made of 
\ grain of citrate of iron and \ grain of quinine, applying night and morning to the part affected zinc 
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